Commercial Fishing
Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Laboratory
Research
Commercial fishing is the most hazardous occupation in the United States.
While previous studies have mainly focused on fatal injury prevention, our research focuses on nonfatal injuries, especially musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) particularly in the upper extremities and low back.
Improving vessel equipment: evaluating fishermen-led safety design ideas
Funded by: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
This NIOSH-funded research will quantify the impact of crab pot handling on biomechanical risk and postural balance (fall risk) and evaluate the efficacy of a fishermen-led engineering control in reducing physical risk factors and associated injuries.
Using these findings, we will provide scientific evidence on the effectiveness of the fishermen-led engineering control (i.e. banger bar) in reducing the physical risk factors and fall risks during handling crab pots during crab harvesting; thus improve commercial fishermen’s occupational health and safety.
If you are interested in other commercial fishing safety and health projects at Oregon State University, please visit OSU's Commercial Fishing Safety website.
Preliminary results from the sensor feasibility study: A letter to commercial crab fishermen.
Preliminary results from the laboratory study:
Use a Bang Bar for Crew Safety and Good Crab
Many fishing vessels in the Pacific Northwest have installed bang bars (also known as banger bars) to assist crew while they empty Dungeness crab pots into the dump box. Researchers at OSU tested the height and design of bang bar for deckhand safety. Here are the results.
How Does a Bang Bar Help Deckhands?
Various situations were tested at the lab: no bar, straight bars at varying heights, and a triangle bar.
Bang or not?
and how best to bang?
As vessel owners think about what is best for their situation, it is important to know how the bang bar design could maximize benefits to crew safety and health.
How Can a Back-Support Exoskeleton Help Commercial Fishers?
Back-support exoskeletons are wearable devices that provide extra support for the body during work tasks. They are designed to take some of the strain off the back and muscles, which may help reduce fatigue and injuries from heavy or repetitive tasks.
In a laboratory-based study, researchers tested two types of back-support exoskeletons to evaluate how each affects muscle activity, balance, and trunk bending posture during crab harvesting tasks — specifically crab sorting and pot handling.
Participate in research studies
Evaluating fishermen-led safety designs in the Dungeness Crab Fleet
Help us characterize physical risk factors associated with Dungeness crab harvesting tasks and evaluate the efficacy of a fishermen-led ergonomic intervention in reducing the physical risk factors.
Three ways to participate
Relevant publications
Kim JH, Vaughan A, Kincl L. Characterization of musculoskeletal injury risk in Dungeness crab fishing. J Agromedicine. 2022. doi:10.1080/1059924X.2022.2068715.